Jat agitation shuts Hisar power plant

Chandigarh: The agitation of the Jat community has put a brake on power generation at the recently-commissioned 1200 MW Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Plant in Hisar district of Haryana owing to shortage of coal.

The blockade of rail tracks by agitators - seeking reservation in government jobs has blocked supply of coal to the power generation plants, leading to closure of Unit-I of Hisar plant, said Haryana Power Minister Mahender Partap Singh in a statement issued here.

The minister appealed the agitators not to block railway tracks in the state, while pressing for their demands.

Rail traffic around Hisar remained paralysed with the continuation of dharna by members of the Jat community.

“Any interruption in supply of coal would lead to shutting down of power generation plants,” he said, adding that this could affect electricity supply, especially at a time when children are preparing for their final examinations.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has already forwarded the demand to the Central Government for necessary action, he said, while hoping that protesters would clear the blockades at the earliest in larger public interest.